03.10.19 | Sunday | 9:00AM | Cinema 3, Robinsons Place Manila
Enter into your 40-day personal retreat
Pinoy Pride Our beloved country, the Philippines, used to be an underdog compared to other countries in Asia and now well known for so many things including its people -- from our rich heritage and culture, beautiful islands and beaches, sports and Filipina beauties. Not to mention OFWs all over the globe who are very competent and resilient in whatever endeavor they are in. But personally, I believe that Filipinos are somewhat traditional, clannish and family-oriented. We value relationships and family more than things. And that is what makes Filipinos stand out among the rest. Feast family, we welcome you to our new talk series about Nation Building. Be Blessed, Adrian Panganiban
Kung Hindi Ikaw, Sino? Noong nag-aaral pa ako, sobrang hindi ako maka-relate sa mga nagrereklamo sa tax. Ang mahal daw, ang laki ng kaltas, sayang lang at hindi naman napapakinabangan. Pero nang matanggap ko na ang aking unang payslip, nabigla ako sa aking nakita. Naunawaan ko na. Alam ko na ang pakiramdam. Like them, I felt that corruption robbed us of good healthcare, better infrastructure and better lives for the Filipinos. This is overwhelming and depressing for me at times because I feel that I am too small to make a difference. “Kasalanan kasi yan ng mga namumuno sa bansa,” sabi ko pa minsan sa sarili ko. But you know what? While it’s true that the leaders of this country might have contributed to this situation, it is also true that they are not the only ones responsible. Dahil kasama tayong lahat doon. We all have a part to play to make this country better. I thank God that because He inspired me to do what I can to help the country. Be it as simple as abiding by the traffic signs, lining up properly, throwing the trash in its proper place, or paying the right taxes. I need to do my part. Imagine if everyone will do the same. Kailangan ka ni Inang Bayan. Have a blessed Feast today. In Christ, John Ben Rodriguez
Start Your Retreat on Wednesday Make Lent your time to go deeper with God. For the next 40 days, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, your goal is to grow closer to Him. Here are 4 things you want to do for the next 40 days: 1. Connect with God daily and weekly. Every single day, connect with God for 10 to 15 minutes, praying and reading the Mass Readings (Use Didache, Companion, Sabbath or The Feast App). And yes, weekly, connect with God at the Feast. Stop missing the Feast for flimsy reasons like “It’s raining” or “I don’t feel like going”. And at any time during these next 40 Days, go back to basics. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. (If you don’t know how, get help from Feasters.) 2. Watch our 40-Day Lenten Devotional Online. It’ll be on Facebook, YouTube, etc. It’s a 3-minute to 5-minute video that will connect all Feasters together in prayer. Sometimes, it’ll be an encouraging word, other times, it’ll be an uplifting song. Through this, you’ll be reminded of your 40-Day Personal Retreat. 3. End each day with profound gratitude. Before you sleep, write down 5 blessings you received that day. The simpler and more ordinary the blessing, the more you’ll be able to nurture the attitude of gratitude in your heart. 4. Bless one person a day. Someone who needs an experience of God’s love. It might just mean giving someone a listening ear, or visiting a friend who needs encouragement, or actually doing something practical, like babysitting kids for a night so the parents can have a date. Enjoy your 40-Day Personal Retreat! OPENING PRAYER TO YOUR PERSONAL RETREAT Lord, I consecrate my 40-Day Lenten Retreat to You. My goal is to grow closer to You. To take each step towards You. I won’t hide. I won’t pretend. I’ll come as I am. I’ll show You my mess. You’ll show me Your mercy. On my own, I can’t fix me, but I know your Spirit Can. For the next 40 Days, work in me. Saints of Heaven, pray for my 40-Day Lenten Retreat. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS
Talk 1: choose a leader
First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Psalms: Psalms 91:1-2, 10-15 Second Reading: Romans 10:8-13 Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
“There was a powerful man from Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjamite. He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite more handsome than Saul, he stood head and shoulders above the people.” – 1 Samuel 9:1-2 NIV, emphasis provided
BLESSING BLOG My Coach, My Business Partner, My God. Judee Quiazon, a womanpreneur, shares how aligning her goals with God’s purposes helps her create harmony between family, business and service. Growing up in the slums, my young mind rebelled against injustice and inequality. Through scholarship, I earned a degree and worked my way up the corporate ladder. “Lord, what is it that you want me to do?” After 16 years, I left a lucrative career in 2014 to find my deeper calling. I pressed the reset button. I recognized I knew little about my kids back then. As much as I enjoyed spending more time with family, I struggled with the change of routine. It helps that I’d get calls from friends who needed career coaching. Another friend would call to brainstorm some ideas about a project he was working on. Then he’d always ask, “ Sigurado ka na ba sa plans mo? Parang sayang kasi. You have something to offer the world.” After some months, my husband agreed with my plans to have my business. I joined a business group where I met entrepreneurs from different industries. While we envy their successes, I discovered how they had to deal with a series of tradeoffs to keep the business running. I found deeper respect when I learned about their sacrifices to protect their employees from losing their jobs. Business and leadership coaching would definitely add value and it gave me a deeper sense of fulfilment. “Purify my heart and my intentions, Lord.” Later, I met my business partner and we were offered the franchise of a global business organization in Taguig. The timing was perfect. Supporting business owners meant supporting their families and the families of their employees. I worked more hours but I loved doing it. Then, it happened. We went through challenges in the business and relationships and emotions went all-time high. Anger and frustration got the best of me. I’d hang out with God in the Greenbelt chapel. I didn’t know what to pray for but it gave me a breather. My regular attendance at the Feast kept my sanity. I thought I knew what to do but I ended up surrendering to the Lord. “Lord, please send me the right people to guide me in my journey.” I heard stories of business people who only worked for profits and would compromise their integrity. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered that we have Feasters from different locations, pastors, spiritual directors, and business owners with deep spirituality regardless of whether they have a religion. Leading a group of business leaders was an interesting journey in itself. How do we make them work well together? He sent me to spiritual retreats with them. “Break my heart, Lord. Hindi ko kaya, masyadong matigas.” My prayer life improved and I found peace when I pray. I learned to consult with the Lord all my plans and concerns. It was as if everything fell into its proper places. I remembered a prayer I’d often recite, “If this business will lead me away from you, don’t let it flourish. Prepare me to take care of this.” My organization grew when I allowed Him to break my bones. The sad part was to realize that I was the one getting in the way. “Slow me down, Lord.” My busyness became a problem. How could I manage to spend more time helping people in the business and serving in an NGO when it meant less time with my family? Through my business network, I discovered an international homeschooling provider that’s appropriate to my children’s learning approach and the lifestyle that we wanted. My husband and I agreed from the very start that we’d never sacrifice our family. It was challenging at the start specially when faced with stressful situations but we worked it out together. A Family that Serves Together, Stays Together Attending The Feast strengthened our family. Since 2013, I served in the Print Media Ministry at Feast PICC. Since we moved to Feast Ermita, my youngest Dasha, enjoyed worshipping God through Dance Ministry. My eldest, Hans, would never miss a service to VM/TM and Youth Light Group. My husband, Robert, would tirelessly work on the layout of our weekly bulletin. “Pasensya na Lord, hindi ako marunong makinig. Can you make your message clearer?” God looks into our hearts. During my recent silent retreat, He lovingly revealed a miracle. “Be a child again. Relaks ka lang. Sagot kita.” We don’t need to change the world, we just have to start changing ourselves.
Starting the year right with my family at Mt. Pulag Summit.
BLESSED BY THE FEAST? Share your story and inspire our community. Email to a1media.feastbayarea@gmail.com
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SCENES FROM LAST SUNDAY
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“How are you connected with God? There’s not a day that we don’t need to pray. Connect with Him daily.” Bro. A
“Nothing is more powerful than Jesus. It is not enough to rely on your own goodness. You need to tap an eternal source. God will even use your loved ones, leaders and friends.” - Bro. Alvin Barcelona
“come as you are.” A PRE-LENTEN SPECIAL
RECAP Fr. Bob McConaghy
Gospel Reading According to Luke 6:39-45
There is a simple 40-day Lenten plan that will bring a noticeable difference to one’s self:
Fr. Michael Laguardia
We are naturally partial about ourselves and we tend to criticize and judge others. We don’t admit our own mistakes. And what we can’t admit to ourselves, we see in others. This Lent, Jesus invites us to come as we are. More than being human, we need to be Christians. It’s a time for prayers, alms-giving, and fasting from harsh words and uncharitable thoughts. When God dwells in our hearts, charity and love abound leaving no space for judgement. We see people as God sees them -- as His beloved child. As brothers and sisters in the banquet of the Lord, we share in the bread and cup of our Lord, one love for His lamb.
1. Ash Wednesday. Ask Him to open your hearts and go to Confession. 2. Thursdays of Lent. Declare a fast in “tsismis”. 3. Fridays of Lent. Ask for the grace to remove any mental judgment about people. 4. Saturdays of Lent. Seek to forgive those who hurt you. 5. Sundays of Lent. Read the scripture for 40 minutes. 6. Mondays of Lent. Pray for 59 people by name through the rosary. 7. Tuesdays of Lent. Abstain from social media and devote your time to God. 8. Wednesdays of Lent. Perform a simple act of kindness like sharing a sandwich to people you don’t know, talking and praying for them. Doing all this will not make the Lord love you more or love you less but it will lift you up to be more like Jesus.
Lent is about purification because we are all spiritual lepers. It is a 40-day process where God touches us making us clean again.
"When you forgive someone, you will feel good about yourself even if they reject your forgiveness." - Fr. Bob McConaghy
ANSWERED PRAYERS I finally had the courage to sign for my dream seminar and God provided money to pay for that too - Teza Lorraine Dela Pena For all the answered prayers and now I’m starting to harvest the blessings. For making us a channel of your graces. For guiding us not to stumble and give in to temptations - Jumai Umali 3 of my 7 wishes were granted in a snap. The Feast really leads me to the path of holiness and teaches me to communicate to God. I love being here, it feels like home. Thank you Feast Ermita - Anonymous
For all the blessings and for waking up today. I am able to live my life and continue on - Janine Descalzo For the gift of acceptance - Anonymous For all the blessings and your forgiveness, Lord - Anonymous A job for my son-in-law. For giving me an employer who is understanding and considerate. For the graces and love which the Lord God has given us - Lyn Torres
MESSAGE FROM OUR FOUNDER Are You Ready To Change Your Heart? The year was 2001. In one of our gatherings, a woman came up to me and asked, “Bo, why don’t you love your country?” I asked, “Why do you say that?” “You don’t preach about political issues,” she said. “Don’t you care that the country is going to the dogs? You should follow what the Couples for Christ is doing. Their leaders are going around the country campaigning for the 13 senatorial candidates of the Administration.” I remember giving her a long answer. I said, “Running for politics and campaigning for specific candidates and preaching about political issues are just one way of loving this country. Kudos to religious leaders who do that. That’s their calling. I have a different call. I view things not in years but in decades. You don’t like the King now? Don’t worry. Kings and Queens will come and go. But God will remain. I believe the only way to change our country is changing our hearts. And that’s what I’m busy doing every single day.” Welcome to our amazing series, NATION BUILDING, Awaken the Selfless Leader in You. Our battle cry: If you want to change this country, change your heart. May your dreams come true, BO SANCHEZ
1 first-time attendees Don’t go home without your welcome gift!
2 awesome kids Where children from 4 to 12 years old are made to understand the talk series.
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4 pray over, shepherding and healing (posh) Need prayers for healing, for that job or exam, to pay off debts and other requests? Come and visit the POSH Ministry. THE BUILDERS: Adrian Panganiban | John Ben Rodriguez Council Heads: Mayvin Alejandro, Gigi Alvarez, Mon Bumatay Feast Ermita Bulletin Staff: Media Heads: Ryan Alejandro, Joemer Ernn Embernate Editor in Chief: Judee Quiazon | Editorial Assistant: Krystel Ramos-Tobias Associate Editor: Naddy Sanchez | Copy Editors: Juliann Silva, Jerome Tobias Writer: Judee Quiazon Chief Photographer: Ryan Carlo Mahinay Contributing Photographers: Dang Gaerlan, Jayr Purisima, Dahlia Bagatsing Layout Artist: Robert Quiazon
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